Thunder and Lightning
by ProngsPotter1981
Summary: Written for LunaInTheSky. JP/LE One-shot. Lily's terrified of storms and when Marlene and Alice are away for the Easter holidays and not there to help her deal with it, Lily has little choice but to seek comfort from other sources... WARNING: Strong Sexual Scenes.


Lily jumped as light flared outside the dormitory window and buried deeper into her blankets. A moment later, the tower shook with thunder. She _hated_ storms. No one would ever dispute her placement into Gryffindor house - unless they suggested she was more suited to Ravenclaw - but then, her astraphobia wasn't exactly common knowledge. She could just imagine what the Slytherins would say, and she had enough trouble with them already, given that she was muggleborn.

She wished Alice or Marlene were with her, but both had gone home for the Easter holidays; usually in storms, they'd just Stun her. They didn't even protest anymore, after that incident in third year. Lily's green eyes flicked to Patricia's sleeping form. She was almost tempted to wake her up and ask to be Stunned, but Patricia was about as competent as Peter Pettigrew with charms and Lily had learned long ago that being too close to Pettigrew while wands were involved was like begging to be sent to the Hospital Wing. No, it was best to leave Patricia where she was.

Lightning flashed outside again and Lily whimpered, rolling out of bed before it became a conscious thought. She was of half a mind to go downstairs and hide in the dungeons for the night. The other half of her mind reminded her that as Head Girl, she shouldn't be breaking the rules by leaving Gryffindor Tower after hours. McGonagall would have her head, and possibly her badge if she was caught.

Lily ended up in the common room, on her favourite couch, by the fire, but even that didn't help much, since she could still hear the wind, still see the lightning flashing, still hear the thunder growling. Lily was almost tempted to Stun herself but didn't, knowing that was dangerous. She glanced around the common room but it was empty, despite it not being terribly late. She shivered as rain lashed the windows and then the fire guttered out.

A loud laugh drifted down the boy's dormitory stairs and recognised it as Black's almost at once; how many other boys did she know that all but barked when they laughed? _Black..._ she mused. She heard another, drier laugh. _And Remus..._ That had potential. She could head up to the Marauder's dormitory and ask Remus to Stun her. He might actually do it and if he didn't, she could always insult Potter so that Black would Stun her instead...

Lily almost couldn't believe that she was considering going up to the Marauders dorm, to _Potter's_ dorm - even if they were getting along better this year than previously because of their roles as Heads - but then she shrugged and glanced outside. Desperate times called for desperate measures and if she couldn't find the courage to deal with the storm, she could surely find the courage to deal with four seventeen-year-old boys. Lily took one last nervous glance at the window and darted across the dark common room and up the boy's staircase.

She knew which room was theirs, of course. Potter had been inviting her up to it for years - she'd politely declined, of course - and she'd had to go up to get him for meetings with McGonagall or the Headmaster. Even if she hadn't known, she'd probably have been tipped off by the laughter on the other side of the door.

She hesitated with one small hand resting on the cold handle and she almost chickened out but then the thunder shook the tower again and she flung the door open, rather harder than she'd meant to. Three head swivelled to stare at her - Pettigrew was already asleep, snoring loudly on the far bed. Potter was sitting on the window sill and from his white-knuckled grip on the stone, had almost fallen off when she opened the door. He looked rather startled and rather pleased to see her.

Black was lounging on his bed, levitating Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans across the room to bounce of Remus' forehead. Every now and then, Remus would pelt one back, or eat one, making Black laugh. They had stopped though, and were now watching Lily curiously. Lily kept her eyes trained on their faces; she hadn't come to ogle them, though it _was_ a little tempting. Black and Potter could be gits but they weren't bad to look at. "Lily," Remus said, setting his book aside. "Are you feeling all right?"

"Can-can you close the window," she stammered, looking beseechingly at Potter. "Please?"

"Evans, what...?" Black began warily.

"Please!" she snapped.

Potter pulled his legs back through - Lily noted absently that his pyjama pants were speckled with rain - and closed it. "Is everything all right?" he asked, his eyebrows disappearing into his messy hair. "Nothing's happened- does Dumbledore want something?"

"No," Lily said quietly, shooting a terrified look at the window.

"So what...?" Potter frowned and shared looks with Black and Remus.

"Isn't it obvious, Prongs?" Black said, biting the head off a Chocolate Frog.

"Black," Lily snapped. "I swear to Godric if you say one word about shagging or-"

Black clamped his mouth shut and grinned a little sheepishly. "One track mind," Potter muttered, rolling his eyes. _As if he's any better_, she thought exasperatedly. "Sorry about him." Black made a funny noise, like a mix between a choke and a laugh.

Lily gave him an irritated look and then turned to Remus. "Could- could you Stun me, please?"

Remus blinked. "Excuse me?" he asked, while Potter and Black shared a bewildered look.

"Stun me," Lily said, folding her arms over her chest and shot another look at the window.

"Er..." Remus said.

Potter came to stand directly in front of her, stooping slightly so he could look her in the eye. Lily was forcefully reminded of how small she was. "What's wrong?" he asked gently, lifting her chin with one finger.

"Can't I just ask to be Stunned without there being something wrong?" Lily asked crossly, yanking away from his touch.

Potter and Black laughed. "It's a little unusual," Black commented.

"I'm an unusual person," Lily huffed. "Please, Remus." She was perilously close to begging now - the window had just lit up again, and sure enough, thunder followed.

"I'm not going to Stun you, Lily," he said patiently.

Lily felt betrayed. It was silly and irrational, but it was true. She opened her mouth to say something rude when lightning flashed again and - without thinking - Lily latched onto Potter's arm. The three of them stared at her.

Suddenly, Black's face lit up with understanding. "You're not scared, are you?" he asked, grinning.

"Of course not," Lily said, releasing Potter who rubbed his arm to get circulation back.

Black slid off his bed and stalked toward her wearing a very wolfish smile. Lily shrank back a little but didn't move - if she backed away from Black, she'd end up closer to the window. Closer to the storm. Her eyes met Black's gleaming grey ones, grey ones that were almost the same colour as the storm outside. She clamped her own eyes shut. "You are," he said, sounding intrigued and gleeful all at once.

"Am not," Lily snapped, still having not opened her eyes. She flinched when the room shook again.

"It's the storm, isn't it?" Potter said quietly. She felt a warm hand close around her shoulder. Lily hesitated before nodding tersely. She bit down hard on her lip when she heard rain hitting the window. "Back off, Paddy," Potter barked. Lily opened one eye to see Potter looking at her, concerned.

Remus was scolding Black. "-absolute hypocrite, winding her up like that," he said, smacking the dark-haired boy with a roll of parchment. "I seem to recall you just about biting our heads off _last_ time there was a storm."

"Just about?" Potter muttered. "I still have the scars." Black made a rude hand gesture in his direction but he was grinning. "Dogs can be rather neurotic in storms," Potter told Lily with a grin.

"Dogs?" Lily asked, distracted for a moment. "Black's not-"

"Of course I am," Black said. "My mother's a bitch and- What, Moony?" Remus snorted, shook his head and wandered into the bathroom, muttering something about immature friends and secrets and brushing his teeth. Lily managed a small smile.

"Will you Stun me?" she asked Potter without hope.

He shook his head apologetically. Lily growled. "Useless, the lot of you."

She stalked toward the dormitory door. "You can stay if you want," Potter offered.

"And why would I do that?" Lily asked, rolling her eyes.

"I just thought you might want some company," he said, shrugging.

"Aww, Prongsie's blushing," Black called. Potter was indeed slightly pink and looked a little afraid of being rejected. "Is little Jamie scared of the big, bad Head Girl?"

"Shut _up_, Sirius!" Pettigrew groaned, apparently having woken at some point. He rolled out of bed, still half-asleep and smacked Black soundly with a pillow. "Hi, Lily," he said with a wave and then frowned at Potter. "This is a weird dream," he told him.

Potter chuckled. "Just go back to sleep, Pete."

"I shall," Pettigrew said and clambered back into bed. He was snoring soundly within seconds.

James shook his head bemusedly at Pettigrew and then Black headed for the bathroom too. "You... er... didn't answer my question," Potter said lamely.

Lily wasn't overly keen to spend more time with Potter and his friends than she needed to, but she'd never sleep in her own room. She'd spend the entire night petrified. Here at least, she _had_ to put on a brave face, or she'd be teased for it later.

"Okay," she said. "Where do I sleep?"

"You're welcome in my bed," Potter said with a cheeky grin. Lily glowered at him. "All right, all right!" I'm sure one of the others would move over for you. Moony, maybe?" Lily's eyes narrowed. "Or," Potter said hastily, "I can duplicate my bedding and you can sleep on the floor."

"Better," Lily said.

"On second thoughts, you can have the bed," Potter said. "I'll take the floor."

"Stop trying to be polite," she sighed. "Just make me a mattress of something. I _want_ the floor."

Potter looked puzzled, shook his head and conjured a mattress and bedding. He flopped down on his own bed and then she heard a rustle. "Chocolate Frog?"

"No, thanks," she said, dragging the curtains across the window. The boys were lucky to have curtains; Marlene had burned theirs down in fourth year, claiming they were ugly.

"Are you sure? They're Sirius'?"

Lily's lips twitched. "Positive."

* * *

The room trembled. Lily trembled with it. She felt better here than she had in her own room, but she was still terrified. The boys were asleep and had been for about an hour. Their pre-bed banter and bickering had been a good distraction but now it was gone. Lightning flashed again. Lily let out a little moan of fear and curled into a ball.

"Evans?" Potter's voice was heavy with sleep.

"What, Potter?" she snapped, but her voice wasn't anywhere near as venomous as she'd hoped. There was a rustle and then Potter slid onto the floor and wormed his way into her blankets. A tentative arm wrapped around her shoulders. "Don't," she said, annoyed, but Potter's other arm wound around her waist and he was so _warm_. Lily shifted closer. Potter chuckled quietly. "Shut it," she said half-heartedly.

"I didn't say anything," Potter whispered, his voice much closer than she'd expected it to be. She could feel his breath on her face, at that was warm too.

"You didn't have to," she replied and edged closer as the curtains lit up. Potter shifted slightly and his arms tightened around her. Thunder growled outside, making Lily jump.

"Oww," Potter complained; she'd just elbowed him in the side.

"Sorry," she mumbled, embarrassed.

"No problem." He tensed, as if nervous and then said, "Will you hex me for suggesting we move up to my bed?"

"We?" Lily asked, smiling slightly. "A little presumptuous, aren't you, Potter?" She heard him open his mouth and then close it again and she would have bet her magic he was bright red. "No," she said softly.

He relaxed. "You're mean," he said accusingly. Lily's smile grew and then Potter's warmth was gone and she heard rustling above her. Missing the heat, she crawled into Potter's bed and didn't even consider protesting when he wrapped his arms around her again. "Is this okay?" he asked after a moment. Lightning flashed again. Lily nodded shakily and shifted closer to Potter. "Hold on," he murmured and then sat up, felt for his wand and cast a charm to close the hangings of his four-poster.

Lily wasn't sure to feel about that; it was good because it hid them from the storm even more, but at the same time, she was now in a very small, very cosy space with James Potter. She wasn't sure she could trust him to behave. Merlin, she wasn't sure she could trust herself; they were friends, sort of, and he still annoyed her and she still turned him down but she was finding it harder to give him valid reasons nowadays. The rejections were more out of habit than anything else. Lily almost groaned. The air was practically buzzing.

He seemed to be waiting for her to say something. "Sit down," she grumbled. "You've taken all the warmth." Potter's teeth flashed as he grinned, but he made no move to lie down again. "What?" she asked. He shrugged. "What?" she asked again, sitting up so that they were level.

"Nothing," Potter said, sounding like he meant it.

"Then why aren't you lying down?" Potter was silent. "Potter?" He said nothing. The buzzing in the air seemed to increase. "Potter?" she asked, a little worried and a little annoyed. "What-" Potter leaned over and kissed her.

Lily froze. Potter pulled back a half-second later, eyes wide, mouth slightly open. "I-" he began, horrified.

It was the glasses that did it, slipping down the bridge of his nose. Lily shifted forward, closing the space between then and kissed him back. Potter was stunned at first and unresponsive - for a moment Lily was worried she was doing it wrong, though none of her other boyfriends had ever complained - but then something in his seemed to click and he responded enthusiastically, one hand twining around her waist, the other tentatively sliding up to play with her hair.

Lily wasn't entirely sure when it happened but when they broke apart, she found her hand cupping his cheek and her other arm resting loosely around the back of his neck. She pulled back a little embarrassed. Potter looked like he'd been hit with a bludger.

"What just happened?" he asked, blinking.

"I'm fairly sure you kissed me," Lily said, one finger tracing lightly over her lips.

"Thought so," Potter said faintly. "And then you kissed me back, right?"

"Now I see why you need glasses," she said, smirking.

"Had to be sure," Potter said, and leaned in again. The thunder rattled outside but Lily couldn't have cared less. Potter's lips, warm and insistent on hers were a more than adequate distraction and if the soft, occasional groan that kept escaping him was any indication, he didn't mind distracting her much at all.

They broke apart, panting and Lily knew she was blushing. Potter - no, it didn't seem right to call him that anymore - _James_ still looked dazed. He gave her a cheeky grin and settled back into the mattress, his eyes dancing, inviting her to stay. Lily cuddled up beside him. _I knew having the curtains shut was a bad idea_, she thought, but couldn't bring herself to care at all. She felt... warm... pleasantly so, and she knew the boy beside her was the reason for it.

The tower shook again and this time Lily did notice and shifted a little closer to James. "Scared?" he whispered.

Lily swallowed. "A little."

James moved a little closer, so close in fact, that their noses were almost touching. Lily shuffled up to rest her back against the headboard to see him better. James followed her. His eyes never left hers. "I could distract you," he said quietly.

"Define distract," she managed to say and was embarrassed to hear how breathy her voice was.

"Distract," he murmured, his lips brushing her jaw so lightly they were hardly there. "To divert attention or focus from one thing and onto another."

"That's not what I meant." James chuckled, confident all of a sudden, and his lips moved along her jaw until his nose nudged her earlobe. Then, those lips, warm, soft and ever so slightly wet, moved, trailing light kisses down her neck. Lily shivered. She couldn't move and didn't want to, not even slightly. "You're very good with distractions," she breathed, reaching over to play with his messy hair. His lips paused and he looked up, grinning. Lily leaned forward and kissed him. James made a little noise of surprise and kissed her back eagerly.

One hand went for her waist again and the other for her shoulders and then gently, without breaking the kiss, James lowered her back onto the pillows. He was half resting on her - one of his legs was between hers, the other on the outside and he was propped up on one arm but their chests were touching - warm at their points of contact, but not heavy.

A little contented sound slipped out, making James grin and pull back so that he could survey her. "Distracted yet?" James asked mischievously.

"Not nearly enough," Lily whispered meeting his hazel stare.

James' eyebrows climbed and then that grin was back. Lily's chest fluttered. "Really?" he asked. Lily held eye-contact and nodded slowly, her tongue tracing her upper lip where she could still taste James. She'd had three boyfriends in the past - in fourth year, she dated Amos Diggory before they decided to stay friends, later in fourth year she'd dated Dai Chang and then early in sixth year, she'd dated Kenneth Turpin - and none of them had ever kissed her like James just had.

She stared up at him, making him smile and then lifted her head to kiss his cheek. James turned his head - _the prat, _she thought affectionately - and caught her lips again, once, twice and then a third time and then his fingers were fumbling with her pyjama shirt and he muttered a curse between kisses when he couldn't get the buttons undone.

Lily's eyes met his again and she knew then that she wanted this. She reached down to help him. A moment later, her shirt hit the floor and she wasn't sure whether to be relieved or embarrassed that she didn't sleep with a bra on. James blinked several times and then, tentatively, his hands traced her collarbone, moving steadily lower; Lily gasped embarrassingly loudly - his hands were setting her skin on fire - but James didn't seem to mind, staring at her with a mixture of amusement and reverence that made Lily's insides flutter again.

She reached out, putting her hands between them to explore his chest, even as he explored hers. She made a mental note to thank Marlene - James had surrendered his captaincy to her when he was made Head Boy - for being so strict about her team's fitness levels. Lily lost herself in kisses, and in exploring James. She'd just worked up the courage to reach for his pyjama bottoms when he let out a shaky breath and rolled off.

"What?" she asked, frowning, partially at the loss of warmth, but more at the loss of James.

He gave her another cheeky grin but his voice was strained. The reason why became apparent when she glanced at his lap. "I don't think I can distract you much more unless you _really_ want to be distracted."

It took Lily a moment to realise what he meant, and by the time she worked it out, she realised that she was fine with the idea. "And if I do?" she asked boldly.

James blinked and eyed her hungrily for a moment - Lily couldn't blame him, since she was doing the same - and then they both realised what the other was doing and blushed. Lily reached for a pillow to cover her bare chest. "Don't," James said softly.

Lily hugged the pillow to her anyway. "Clearly _you_ aren't interested in going any further tonight..." she said, trying to hide a smile.

James opened his mouth with a frown. Lily watched him, amused. He blinked once. "Oh, fuck it," he said and tugged the pillow out of her grip. "_Muffliato_," he said, pointing his wand at the wrapped her arms around his neck again. There was something different about this kiss, something hungrier, something that was more need than want. Something far, far more intoxicating.

Lily wasn't really surprised to her herself making quiet whimpering sounds. James' hands travelled up and down her bare sides and after a moment's hesitation, slipped inside her pyjama bottoms to trace her thighs. "Mmm," she heard herself say. She lifted her hips so that James could get her pants off and kicked them off the side of the bed. Her socks followed. James was staring at her, his fingers lightly running over her hipbones. She sat up slightly, so that she was leaning on one elbow.

"What?" James asked warily.

"Your pants need to go," she said bluntly as she sat up properly. James smirked and allowed her to help him out of his pyjama bottoms and then his boxers. Both articles of clothing joined Lily's on the floor. Lily couldn't help but glance at his arousal. "Can I?" she asked tentatively.

James's breathing hitched. "If-if you want," he said, obviously trying - and failing - to sound casual. She reached out to stroke him, curious. "Oh, fuck!" James choked, trembling.

"Bad?" Lily asked nervously, pulling her hand back.

He shook his head. "Good. Very, very good." Lily watched him, curious again. If she'd got that much of a response with her fingers... Before she could over-think it, she leaned forward and kissed the very tip of James' erection. James swore and shivered again. Lily smiled wickedly but before she could bend down again, James intercepted her lips. "You're a tease," he murmured, guiding her back onto the pillows. She smiled into the kiss and that smile grew when James tongue slipped into her mouth to meet hers.

He pulled back all too soon. She made a noise of protest that had him grinning. She was quite certain the storm outside could have stopped and she'd be none the wiser, particularly when James leaned down and kissed her inner thigh. A squeak escaped her. James' eyes flicked up to meet hers and then he smiled that mischievous smile and ran a finger through her fiery curls.

He was looking for something, Lily thought, and couldn't figure out quite what it was until his fingers brushed a very sensitive patch of skin that sent tingles through her entire body. James smiled smugly and ran his fingers over that same spot again, a little harder this time. Lily gasped, her back arching slightly. "Please," she managed to choke out. "James, please."

"Hmm?" James asked, crawling back up so that he could look her in the eye.

"Please," she gasped, cupping his cheek. She almost laughed because his glasses were still on, and probably would have if she wasn't feeling so desperate. James kissed her nose and shifted slightly. Lily could feel him nudging her entrance and bit her lip expectantly; Alice and Marlene had both told her the first time hurt.

James pulled back slightly. Lily wasn't sure whether to be relieved or disappointed. James was watching her carefully, a little confused. "Have you...?" Lily shook her head nervously. James winced. "I thought you and Turpin..."

Lily shook her head again. "We were close but I wasn't ready."

James' eyes brightened. "Is _that_ why you broke up?" Lily nodded. "And you're sure about this?"

Lily rolled her eyes and nodded, wrapping an arm around James waist so that she could pull his body closer to hers. James fumbled, grabbing his wand, muttered a spell she didn't hear and then tossed his wand away. Lily pulled his closer still. He made a funny choking sound and then tilted his hips, slowly moving forward. Lily felt pressure and it was starting to hurt. She clamped down on her lip and then James shifted again and there was a pop. "Ow," she said, before she could help herself.

"Sorry," James said, wincing. He held perfectly still, seeming scared to move. Lily took a deep breath, and then another one. The pain was starting to fade now, and it felt... good, if a little strange. James' eyes scanned her face. "Better?" he asked gently, though it seemed to be taking a huge effort for him to keep still.

Lily smiled in response and shifted her hips. It hurt a little but nowhere near as much as it had. "Better," she said quietly and leant up so she could kiss James' neck. James shifted again and she felt him slide deeper. Her breath caught.

"Are you all right?" he murmured, twisting his hips slightly. Lily gasped. James moved again and Lily's back arched a little. He was looking rather pleased with himself, now. She could understand why; every little movement he made had her gasping or writhing, or tightening her arms around him. It had to be the most intimate, most wonderful thing she'd ever felt. Determined to get closer to him, she wrapped her legs around him. It worked; Lily moaned again and felt James deeper than he had been before, and James sighed happily and began to move a little harder, a little faster.

Lily found herself moving up to meet him. Every thrust was like a jolt of lightning - much more pleasant than the lightning outside, Lily thought - sending tingles of pleasure through her. There was so much to take in. She was sweaty, and so was James, and every few moments he'd lean down and kiss her or she'd seek his lips out herself and they'd murmur their names - James' husky whisper of 'Lily' only added to her arousal - and her nerves were on fire and she could feel pressure, feel warmth, pooling in her midriff and-

James hit something inside her so perfectly, and she was gone. She was fairly sure she screamed. Loudly. And she was fairly sure it was his name that she'd shouted as her back arched and a wave of warmth and pleasure and electricity and magic buzzed through her, so strong, so incapacitating that her brain disconnected for a moment.

That seemed to be James' undoing too. He swore, quite extensively and quite loudly and he hissed and then, finally, her name slipped out, and in that one word, there were so many emotions that Lily thought she could well lose herself again. James slumped, panting, his hair stuck to his forehead, his glasses perilously close to slipping off his nose. He rolled off of her half a second later - just as his weight was starting to become uncomfortable.

His arms wrapped around her, finger tracing patterns on her bare, sweaty skin and she snuggled closer, pressing her lips to his. "Lily? Will you believe me now if I tell you I love you?" James murmured, nipping at her earlobe.

"Perhaps," Lily said. He'd been telling her for years.

"Good. I love you."

"I think..." Lily paused, taking a moment to sort through her own feelings, "... maybe... I might love you back?"

James chuckled. "Is that a question or a statement?"

"I'm not sure," Lily said honestly.

She felt James shrug. "Time will tell, I suppose." He laughed but it sounded strained. "I just hope I'm more than a pretty face and a good shag."

Lily was scandalised that he'd think so little of her, and a little sad to hear that he actually sounded afraid of her answer. "Much more," she assured him.

James relaxed and held her a little closer. "You'll go out with me?" he asked hopefully.

"I'd love to." James beamed and, apparently unable to help himself, kissed her until they were both panting again. She bit her lip. "James?"

"I'm never going to get sick of you calling me James," James said dreamily. He shook himself. "Sorry, what?"

"Has the storm stopped?"

James shifted and poked his head through his bed hangings. "Nope. Personally, I hope it never does."

"I don't," Lily grumbled, curling into James' side with a slight shiver.

"If it doesn't, I'll have to distract you again," James said coyly.

Lily blushed at the implications. They both lay in silence, listening to each other's breathing, to the other three Marauders' snores and to the rain lashing at the window, and to the occasional rumble of thunder. James dropped off to sleep, still holding her.

Lily shifted so that she could use James' chest as a pillow. As she lay there, listening to his heart beat, she thought that maybe - and this was a very tentative maybe, mind - and this wasn't to say that they were good, or that she liked them now, but maybe, storms weren't as bad as she'd thought.


End file.
